Chapter 419: Exchanges and Enhancements

Merit Tower, 71st floor.

With Song Chi’s current status, he easily reached above the 70th floor. But to his disappointment, he still hadn’t come across the special resource known as “Dense Black‑Hole Stone.”

He was too lazy to keep checking floor by floor, so he simply asked a Family member in charge of exchanges on this level.

Anyone who could work above the 70th floor of the Merit Tower held considerable status and knew pretty much everything about the special resources.

Originally, Song Chi had no hope. But the response actually brought him quite a surprise.

“Dense Black‑Hole Stone? I remember we do have some. It’s one of the top-tier materials for boosting the hull strength of a standard starship. Just a trace can significantly reinforce the hull. So this material is basically controlled by the Family’s starship construction department!”

The answer surprised Song Chi a bit, but he still thanked him, then summoned his warship, the Heavenly Ruin, and rushed to the starship construction base.

…

Dragon Spine No.1 Starship Construction Base, located on the west side of the Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain, not far away.

As another important department under the Family’s internal affairs hall, the base was responsible not only for building the Family’s transport starships but also Scout‑Class Shuttles.

Every year, the newly awakened Family members bound standard shuttles that all came from here.

When Song Chi arrived above the base, the newly awakened clansmen were neatly binding to their vessels. From the sky, watching the perfectly aligned ranks below and the excitement on each teen’s face, he felt as if he were looking at himself seventy years ago.

Unconsciously, he’d awakened the Spark of Fire seed for over seventy years. Now he was a Captain of a Zhulu‑class Cruiser and a genuine top-tier elder within the Song Family.

Feeling nostalgic, Song Chi guided his warship down. Under the curious gazes of hundreds of thousands of newly awakened clansmen, the Heavenly Ruin descended onto the construction base.

“Seventh Young Master!”

Because he’d been notified in advance, the head of the starship construction department came forward with several people to greet him.

Song Chi nodded. While chatting casually, he glanced at the clansmen queuing to bind their shuttles and asked:

“Any exceptionally gifted clansmen this year?”

Hearing this, the broad-shouldered minister laughed and said:

“Your Highness, there really are a few promising talents!”

“One Orange Flame seed and three Purple Flame seeds.”

“Oh?”

Song Chi hummed softly.

“Are there any collateral branch members among the four?”

“Two of the Purple Flame seeds are from the collateral branches.”

Song Chi pondered for a moment, then said:

“I won’t meddle with the other branches to avoid accusations of poaching for the Tenth Direct Branch. Bring that young collateral one over.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

In a side hall of the base, two somewhat nervous youths, a young man and a woman, were brought in one after another.

Seeing Song Chi seated at the head, the two newly awakened clansmen bowed and saluted.

“Song An and Song Qian pay respects to Your Highness!”

The staff member who brought them over had already emphasized Song Chi’s identity, so they both appeared rather restrained.

“Don’t be nervous. I’ve only called you here to ask some everyday questions.”

With that, he began to ask them some routine questions.

He learned that Song An and Song Qian’s parents were both Second‑Rank Fireseed Captains from the collateral branch, so their starting point was quite high.

He also discovered Song An’s father was notorious for his ruthlessness. Song An followed in his father’s footsteps. Though reserved, his words couldn’t hide that ferocious nature.

Song Chi wasn’t put off by this; rather, he thought it promising.

Ruthlessness, strictly speaking, was the most admired trait in this Great Stellar Era and the personality most likely to rise among captains.

After the routine questioning, he retrieved several light orbs from the Family’s ancestral Fireseed Cavern.

He split among them four purple modules, six blue modules, and a considerable amount of low‑rank Floating-land Origin.

Seeing the clear excitement in their eyes but their hesitance to reach out, Song Chi said softly:

“Take it. Consider it my investment in you. I hope you two will ride the wind and waves and one day become the pillars of the Song Family!”

“Song An and Song Qian thank Your Highness. We will do our utmost to never disappoint you or the Family.”

…

“Seventh Young Master, I thank you on behalf of the Family’s youngsters.”

The starship construction minister, having witnessed the scene, sincerely thanked Song Chi after the two left.

Once upon a time, he too was an eager youth of average talent. Apart from the initial funding from the Family, he’d never received other investments. Even so, he’d risen to become a cruiser captain.

Because of that, he understood the importance of early investment for a newly awakened captain. Over the years, he’d occasionally invested in new clansmen.

For veteran captains, these investments might be trivial, but for the Family’s new generation, they could be the key to skyrocketing success.

Song Chi shook his head.

“It’s just doing what I can!”

“By the way, about the Dense Black‑Hole Stone…”

Because he already had a good impression, the broad minister didn’t dodge the issue when Song Chi brought it up.

“We do have some in our department, but, Your Highness, as you know how vital it is for standard starships, there’s not much we can spare.”

In the end, after some haggling, Song Chi traded one hundred strands of Fifth‑Rank Floating-land Origin for seven hundred units of standard Dense Black‑Hole Stone.

After obtaining the seven hundred Dense Black‑Hole Stones, Song Chi immediately began enhancing the [Black Hole Evolution Layer] component.

He spent six hundred thirty Dense Black‑Hole Stones and three hundred forty Titanite Crystals to upgrade the [Black Hole Evolution Layer] component to level 30.

After reaching Third‑Rank, the component’s attribute changes weren’t particularly substantial.

Apart from the base effect boost to engine power efficiency, which went from 100% to 160%.

Next, the “Black Hole · Energy Devour” attribute’s energy pool changed from (10/10) to (10/300). It won’t be long before the pool is full.

Its damage reduction remained at 50%, with no other changes.

Lastly, the “Black Hole · Collapse” attribute: once bound to a cannon, triggering collapse now consumes 1–30 energy points instead of just 1. Captains can adjust it—the more energy spent, the more devastating the effect.

Song Chi’s idea was simple: against large-scale enemies, bind it to a secondary cannon and use just 1 point to inflict massive damage.

Against a single formidable foe, he’d bind it to the [Myriad‑Spirit Annihilation Bow] super main cannon and use maximum Black Hole energy with the “Twin Orb Arrow” attribute for the greatest single-shot damage possible.

Unfortunately, the final attributes—”Black Hole Singular Burst” and “Black Hole Domain”—are fixed and didn’t change with the upgrade.

With the component installed, Song Chi could feel the hull strength of the Heavenly Ruin gradually improving. Though the increase was small, over time it would astonish everyone.

In the time that followed, while the Family’s Foreign Affairs Department gathered intel on the Chaos Sector, Song Chi waited for his warship’s features to cool down and made several more Market transactions.

That day, the Market trade reopened once more.

Seeing the Night Elf still hadn’t mentioned the “Moon Spring,” Song Chi proactively used the Voice of Law to inquire.

[Regarding the Moon Spring: Has your tribe made its decision?]

Hearing this, the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf bowed, then said hesitantly:

“Your Crowned One, our Matriarch has been in seclusion. Please allow me to urge the elders once more!”

After saying that, she quickly left the Market.

It wasn’t until half an hour later that the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf returned.

This time, she finally brought good news.

At the Rare Oddity Exchange Shop, the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf said respectfully:

“Great Omniverse Market Sovereign, our Matriarch has emerged from seclusion and personally agreed to this!”

Saying so, she reached into her storage sash and pulled out two jade boxes.

Channeling the Market’s Rule Power, Song Chi quickly discerned the contents of the two jade boxes.

One Fifth‑Rank Moon Spring and one Sixth‑Rank Moon Spring.

The Fifth‑Rank Moon Spring extends life by 100 years and instantly completes the cooldown of the Spark of Fire seed for Fifth‑Rank and below captains.

The Sixth‑Rank Moon Spring extends life by 400 years and instantly finishes the Spark of Fire seed’s buffering for Sixth‑Rank and below captains.

Strictly speaking, for the Torch Human Civilization, that Sixth‑Rank Moon Spring alone was worth a Silver Legendary Artifact.

For the star races, adding a Fifth‑Rank Moon Spring too was enough.

So Song Chi responded quickly.

[Agreed!]

Upon completing the deal, both Moon Springs were swept up by the invisible Rule Power and delivered to Song Chi’s hands. Meanwhile, the [Market Projection Token] given to the Night Elf officially took effect. In the coming decades, she could summon the Omniverse Market’s projection for aid at any time.

However, after that, something happened again that greatly surprised Song Chi.

He had thought offering two high‑quality Moon Springs would be the Night Elves’ grandest gesture, but unexpectedly, they turned their attention to the Golden Artifact, the [Spirit Language Book], newly placed in the exchange shop.

“Master of the Market, Your Crowned One, how would you like to trade this [Spirit Language Book] artifact?”

Song Chi responded swiftly, turning the thought in his mind and replying:

[Quite simple: a straight swap.]

“A swap, huh…”

The Fourth‑Rank female Night Elf murmured, then bowed deeply once more.

“Understood, Your Crowned One. Please wait a moment!”

Saying that, she left the Market again through the inn.

In the Market’s free stall area, Song Chi strolled among the booths, lost in thought.

“Could it be that the Night Elves have another surprise in store for me?”

He didn’t speak the words aloud; he silently repeated them in his mind, his anticipation genuine.

Gods’ Continent: the Great Night Forest.

As one of the renowned primeval jungles of the Gods’ Continent, the Great Night Forest is home to countless races, but the undisputed dominant species is the Night Elves.

In the northern part of the Great Night Forest lies the Crescent Moon Tribe.

As one branch of the Night Elves, the Crescent Moon Tribe has been one of the five major tribes for tens of thousands of years.

At the Crescent Moon Elven Temple, with the Crescent Moon Matriarch and the entire Crescent Moon Elder Council present, a Fourth‑Rank Night Elf suddenly appeared in the center of the temple.

Yet none of the tribe’s leaders were surprised; instead, they were full of anticipation.

“What news?”

In the center of the temple, the Crescent Moon Matriarch, with strands of Dominion Power flowing around her, spoke.

The Fourth‑Rank Night Elf knelt on one knee and replied respectfully:

“Matriarch, the [Market Projection Token] has officially been unlocked. Henceforth, we can activate this token at any time to summon the Market Master’s projection for assistance.”

“Additionally, regarding the [Spirit Language Book] artifact, the Market Master’s condition is a straight swap.”

Upon hearing this, the temple’s Night Elves first showed joy, then exchanged looks, and the Matriarch spoke first:

“Let’s vote by raise of hands: those in favor of trading that artifact, raise your hands.”

After a pause, the first to raise her hand was an elderly Sixth‑Rank female Night Elf.

With her leading, many elders soon raised their hands as well.

In the end, over seventy percent of all the Night Elf elders in the temple had their hands raised.

Seeing the result, the Matriarch no longer hesitated. Dark elven radiance swirled swiftly in her hand, and soon a dazzling golden mini stele appeared in the temple.

Handing the mini stele to the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf, the Crescent Moon Matriarch softly said:

“Go, use this artifact to trade for that [Spirit Language Book]…”

As she spoke, her voice paused, then she took out another object from her person.

After taking it, the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf vanished from the temple again.

With the Fourth‑Rank Night Elf having re-entered the Omniverse Market, voices of concern finally arose among some Night Elf elders in the temple.

“Matriarch, will directly presenting the [Divine Realm Task Stele] arouse the Market Master’s greed? After all, it’s a Golden Sanctum artifact!”

No sooner had she spoken than the Matriarch’s cold gaze snapped to the elder who spoke.

“If you were worried, why didn’t you speak up before? She’s already entered the Omniverse Market—what use is this talk now?”

At these words, the other Night Elf elders dared not say another word.